Cape Town unveils Greenest Hotel on Continent

Domestic and international travellers to Cape Town International Airport will soon be able to check into what will be the greenest hotel on the continent. Currently in the final stages of approval, the hotel will be built by the Cape Town-based developer Dematech, the luxury hotel has been earmarked for completion in early 2013 in nearby Michigan Street, less than 500m from the terminal building.

Aptly named Hotel Verde – “verde” meaning green in Italian – the 146-room, contemporary hotel will fall into the three-star category, although the room sizes, services and fittings will be similar to a four-star hotel. The focus will be on sustainable construction as well as operation practices. Hotel Verde will generate an estimated 103 direct jobs and a further 247 indirect jobs.

Hotel Verde is set to become South Africa and the continent's greenest hotel. The development, at the Cape Town International Airport, will provide domestic and international travellers accommodation which is driven by technology not yet seen in Africa. Their use of heat pumps, which are sunk into the earth's soil, double glazed windows to vertical axis wind turbines and the capturing and filtering of rain water are a total green building package. The Hotel Verde will be energy efficient, environmentally friendly and will prove to travellers that the City of Cape Town is a global leader in its fight to combat climate change and to use the planet's natural resources more effectively", says Wesgro CEO Nils Flaatten

Flaatten added that while Cape Town businesses had to adapt to the changing global demands from travellers who want more environmentally friendly travels and hotels, they should not underestimate the new demands being voiced by domestic travellers.

‘The showcasing of this Green Building in the Airport precinct will be a fantastic marketing tool for the City of Cape Town and will demonstrate just how sophisticated the City's climate change mitigation and adaption strategies have become. Wesgro engages many property owners who have indicated their determination to drive the green building agenda and the Hotel Verde development has just raised this bar to a new height. This announcement brings some good news to an otherwise damp COP 17 Agenda,' says Flaatten.

The visitors experience is also one that should be highlighted. Once a week guests will enjoy "earth hour" where all power will be turned off in the public areas and guests can enjoy a candle-lit dinner of pizza from the wood-burning oven. Guests who have been eco-friendly by re-using their towels for a second time and not used their aircon will receive a credit note at check out. The hotels climate control will allow a comfortable climatic condition in the room. However the customer could opt for a cooler room temperature by switching on the air-con system. The will be a jogging trail among a water wise fynbos garden as well as a Gym. Most Gym equipment will generate Power when in use.

Hotel Verde has been registered for the LEED certification system. The Leadership In Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is an independent certification programme that provides guidelines for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. It has been created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the programme awards varying levels of certification to buildings that meet LEED rating standards in five major categories: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.

A number of sustainable features make this hotel special and, indeed, Africa’s greenest:

• Geothermal-heating ventilation and air-conditioning system that makes use of a constant ground temperature of 19°C to heat up the building in winter and keep it cool in summer.

• Three 17m-high wind turbines will assist with the generation of renewable power.

• For guests there will be free electric shuttles to and from the airport terminal building, as well as electric-car shuttles to the city at a nominal fee. Guests will also have the exclusive opportunity to hire out electric cars for their Cape Town-based travel.

• Greywater from the guestroom showers will be fed into a greywater recycling system which will harness aerobic bacteria rather than chemicals. The recycled water will then be used to feed all toilets and urinals in the building

• Double-glazed, high-performance windows will be used throughout the building. Solar heat gain and thermal insulation will thus be optimised.

• Dishwasher and washing machines with the lowest available energy and water-usage consumption rates will be carefully chosen. Water will be recycled, making laundry facilities extremely efficient.

• Laundry dryers will use excess heat from the building to dry linen and table cloths via the heat pumps.

• The north-facing roof will be covered with a photovoltaic solar panel, helping to generate a large amount of power that will be stored in battery banks.

• Sport equipment in the gym will be equipped with power-generating devices as a practical learning tool for demonstrating how much work is required to generate a certain amount of electricity.

• Public areas such as lifts, toilets and passages will be equipped with movement-sensor-controlled lighting.

• The hotel kitchen will be fitted with energy-saving induction stoves and energy-efficient appliances and fridges.

• All showers and washing basins in the hotel will be fitted with water-saving taps and shower heads. This and other water saving measures, will reduce the potable water consumption by roughly 50%.

• The concept of “dematerialisation” will be implemented wherever possible. For example: the concrete slabs will utilise void-forming Cobiax spheres while maintaining structural integrity. Introducing the voids will reduce the amount of concrete used and thus the weight of the slabs.

• Rainwater-filter and collection tanks will capture, clean and aerate rainwater during the winter months. This will be used for irrigation and cleaning purposes when rainfall is scarce.

• A jogging trail will be set among a fynbos garden for hotel customers.

Find full article at Cape Business News

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Ski Resorts can now produce snow faster and more efficient

Denver-based EcoGroomer Inc. has secured funding from a Tampa, Fla. investment banking investor and will soon begin production of 60 of the innovative “Snow Processing Unit” systems designed to reduce resort grooming costs. The company, launched this year by skiing entrepreneur Dan Osborne, announced Thursday it had enlisted a U.S.-based construction and agricultural equipment maker, a defense contractor and a Canadian firm to supply components of the new machines, which will be assembled at a facility in the upper Midwest.

The statement said Rocky Mountain resorts will receive the new machines as soon as next winter. The plan, according to the EcoGroomer website, is to lease the grooming systems to resorts for hourly usage fees.

The system adds two separately powered, retractable Snow Processing Units that attach to a traditional groomer, While doubling the amount of terrain a groomer can smooth in a night, the systems can save major resorts millions in grooming costs. If major resorts add EcoGroomers to only a portion of the grooming fleets, Osborne says the resort industry could save 20 million gallons in diesel and $150 million in grooming costs.

Go To Full Article: Denver Post

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New Eco Friendly Brand Launches

Atmosphere Hospitality Management based here has unveiled plans to create Adoba Eco Hotel & Suites.

The upper mid-tier brand will focus on sustainable construction and green operating practices.

Atmosphere Management principals James Henderson and Adrienne Pumphrey have targeted Denver, Seattle, Tuscon, AZ, Portland, OR, and other cities they describe as eco-driven, for Adoba development.

Adoba Eco Hotel & Suites

Atmosphere Hospitality Management

Tempe hotel first in Valley to go green

Aloft Hotel in Tempe has become the Valley's first hotel to gain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Aloft is among a handful of Arizona hotels seeking LEED certification. Drury Inn & Suites in Flagstaff was the first hotel in Arizona to gain the coveted green-building standard. Aloft, which opened in 2008,got news of the certification this week.

The hotel incorporated a recycling program, environmentally-friendly cleaning solutions, a network that controls air-conditioning -and heating systems so it uses less energy when the hotel rooms are not occupied, a heat-island roof effect to deflect sun and lower energy costs, a high-efficiency ventilation system to improve air quality and a number of other mechanisms to improve the environment. The hotel also stocks bicycles for visitors who want an alternative to a car for their jaunts around Tempe.

Green building in the hotel industry has lagged in the western United States compared to the East Coast.

Aloft executives said the project was made easier with support from Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, the Aloft brand parent company. Aloft Tempe is the seventh LEED-certified property for Starwood.

"We set out with ideas that were really common sense. Using desert plants for less water. Using wood and other sustainable materials. I think when you look at this type building from that perspective it's a lot easier to manage," said Michael Mahoney, chief executive officer of Triyar Hospitality, Aloft's owner and developer.

Mahoney hopes Aloft Tempe will spark a trend to address the growing number of people who want businesses to incorporate environmentally-conscious practices.

"It's tough because there is a large investment in green building up front that you don't see paid back right away," Mahoney said. "The payoff comes in the long run. We're pleased Aloft gets to set an example in Arizona."

Bonnie Richardson, the former chair of Arizona's Green Building Council chapter, is delighted that Tempe has set a standard that she hopes other Valley hotels will follow. Richardson is the project manager for the Tempe Transportation Center, which is seeking the highest LEED certification standard for incorporating a slew of green-building standards.

"We're seeing more and more office buildings seeking LEED standards. Aloft is part of a large chain so I think it's great they're showing that green standards are worth the investment," she said. "Incorporating standards in these large buildings really reduces your cost of operation and at the same time you're helping the environment and attracting customers who care about that. As a corporate strategy, that really makes sense."

Richardson said the environmental impact of building more green hotels will be considerable considering how much water and energy hotels use.

People at Aloft Tempe this week liked that Arizona was building green hotels.

Mike Burke is a hotel developer staying at Aloft during his visit to the Valley. Burke is launching a New York hotel that is using green-building standards. He thinks that as the economy improves more people will be willing to pay a few extra dollars to stay at green hotels.

"As long as we make it reasonable for people you will see a big customer demand," he said.

John Hockley, a cruise and tour planner, got a tour of the hotel Thursday as part of a networking meeting at Aloft. Hockley said he was surprised the hotel was so green considering how luxurious it is.

"I think people want green businesses but they don't want to sleep in some cubby to save the environment," he said. "They did a great job here balancing green with comfort."

Aloft Hotels

Ritz Carlton switches to eco-friendly water bottles

In order to raise its green credentials, the Ritz-Carlton hotel group will begin to replace plastic bottles with plant-based, biodegradable water bottles instead.

Implementing the new product at 40 of its 73 properties, the hotelier will be the first among major hotel chains to welcome the change. Hotels in the US and Caribbean will be making the switch. The bottled water is offered at the hotel’s jogging stations, pool areas, and in guests’ rooms. Vehicles are also outfitted with water bottles as part of the hotel’s valet service. In total the company consumers around 5 million of the 16 oz water bottles each year.

The new bottles are comprised of 100 per cent plant matter, decompose in 30 days, and are all natural. Bottles can also be reprocessed into new bottles. According to chief executive of the hotel chain, Simon Cooper, the water bottles are the result of a challenge he posed to his management team two years ago. Locating an eco-friendly bottle vendor took 18 months, he said. PrimaTM manufactures the Ritz-Carlton water bottles.

Most properties will receive the new bottles within a month, however each hotel will varying based on current water bottle supplies. The environmentally safe bottles will cost the same as the original plastic bottles, however, the hotelier is saving initially for the first 18 months. Growing environmental concern has surrounded plastic bottles for years, and the mounting backlash has pushed more and more retailers and hospitality groups to move to a more eco-friendly approach.

Ritz Carlton

Prima Water Bottle

First BWI hotel makes LEED grade

The TownePlace Suites by Marriott at the BWI/Marshall Airport will receive LEED existing building certification, making it the first property at the airport to have that distinction.

The 3-year-old hotel is undergoing a makeover to win the certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, says Bethesda-based Marriott International Inc. Changes include composting all breakfast waste, using sustainable and environmentally friendly cleaning products, installing low-flow plumbing hardware and buying renewable energy wind credits.

“Because we host so many business and leisure travelers every day, we have the opportunity to set a great example and teach people the easy steps they can take to make their own homes more environmentally friendly,” said hotel manager Michelle Emley in a statement.

In November, Marriott announced a prototype of its Courtyard by Marriott brand that will be pre-certified LEED compliant. The first of those properties opens in Pittsburgh this spring.

Marriott (NYSE: MAR) currently has 50 hotels registered for LEED, with 15 open or set to open by the end of this year.

TownePlace Suites Baltimore BWI Airport

Eco-Conscious Courtyard Opens In Portland, OR

PORTLAND, OR—The Courtyard by Marriott – Portland City Center has opened here in the dowtown district. Developed by Sage Hospitality and designed by Portland architects SERA, the hotel is the first Courtyard designed to receive LEED Gold certification.

With 16 floors and 256 guestrooms, the hotel features 5,310 square feet of meeting and event space, including the Sequoia Ballroom, a business library with computers, docking stations and printers, and a fitness facility.

Other features include a collection of locally commissioned artwork and a new concept restaurant/diner called The Original from the Sage Restaurant Group.

The hotel also offers new hotel lobby design, including the signature Courtyard GoBoard, a 46-inch, LCD touch screen offering local information about restaurants and attractions, as well as maps, weather, and news, business and sports headlines.

Located in the former Toronto National Building, the hotel went through a complete exterior and interior renovation. The property is expected to receive the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification from the US Green Building Council, making it the first Courtyard in the country to receive such a high level of recognition for its eco-friendly design.

The property is designed to lower overall energy consumption by 28% (equivalent to the energy consumption of 42 households per year) and reduce carbon emissions. Water consumption was reduced by 26% through the use of dual flush toilets and over 75% of the construction waste was recycled and re-used. All of the hotel’s electricity comes from renewable sources, including wind and hydroelectric. To further reduce the waste, recycling containers will be situated in each guestroom and on each floor. Additionally, kitchen grease from the Original Restaurant will be recycled into biodiesel fuel and food waste from the restaurant will be composted.

The interior design uses ergonomic office chairs and features a smoke-free environment and green housekeeping products. Also non-PVC wall covering, low VOC paints and low urea-formaldehyde casework in the guestrooms are used.

Courtyard by Marriott - Portland City Center

Marriott Expands Portfolio of LEED Hotels

More Than 30 Hotels and Marriott's Global Headquarters Go Green

BETHESDA, Md., May 12 /PRNewswire/ -- In support of its environmental strategy to address climate change, Marriott International (NYSE: MAR) has announced that its global Headquarters building and more than 30 of its hotels in design, development or under construction are expected to achieve LEED(R) (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Marriott was the first major hotel company in the U.S. with a LEED certified hotel -- The Inn and Conference Center by Marriott at the University of Maryland in College Park.

"LEED certification gives these hotels a 'green' stamp of approval that our customers recognize and look for," says Arne Sorenson, Marriott's newly appointed President and Chief Operating Officer and co-chair of the company's Executive Green Council. "Saving energy and reducing waste saves money and helps the environment -- it's good for business and a key part of our growth strategy."

LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building project meets the highest green building and performance measures. LEED-certified buildings: reduce waste sent to landfills; conserve energy and water; are healthier and safer for occupants; and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

Scheduled for a July 2009 grand opening, the Fairfield Inn & Suites Baltimore Downtown/Inner Harbor expects to achieve LEED-Silver status. The hotel will offer a range of eco-friendly amenities, including eco-suites, bicycle storage and changing rooms, and preferred parking for fuel-efficient vehicles. The hotel's breakfast area features solar tracking skylights, and the outdoor courtyard includes turf made of recycled tires and rainwater cisterns (former brewing barrels from the site's original occupant, the Baltimore Brewing Company).

Other Marriott LEED-certified hotels expected to open this year include: The Ritz-Carlton Highlands Lake Tahoe in Truckee, Calif.; the Residence Inn Arlington Courthouse in Va.; and Courtyard hotels in Chevy Chase, Md., Portland, Ore., and Pittsburgh, Pa.

In 2010, several other LEED-certified hotels are expected to open. These include the Renaissance Crystal City Potomac Yards and the Residence Inn Crystal City Potomac Yards in Arlington, Va.; the Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway; and the JW Marriott Hotel Los Angeles and The Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles, both part of the L.A. LIVE sports and entertainment destination.

The company is actively pursuing LEED-Existing Building status for its global headquarters office in Bethesda, Md., by the end of the year. Actions taken toward this goal include: diverting 64 percent of its total waste (450,000 pounds) from the landfill; shifting to biodegradable disposable containers in its cafeteria, and then ultimately migrating to all permanent-ware; converting used cooking oil into biodiesel fuel; and providing Connect by Hertz cars for employees who use public transportation or carpool to get to the office, but need to run an errand or attend an off-site meeting mid-day.

In another symbol of its commitment to build greener hotels, Marriott was the first hotel company to join the USGBC in 2007 and expects that 20 of its Architecture and Construction associates will be LEED-accredited by year-end. This thorough understanding of green building practices and principles is valuable during the design and construction process.

In addition, Marriott hotels worldwide have been recognized for incorporating environmentally-friendly practices into their business:

* Approximately 275 Marriott hotels have earned the ENERGY STAR(R) label from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for conserving waste, water and energy.

* The Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront, the Portland Marriott City Center and the Philadelphia Airport Marriott are certified by Green Seal, a non-profit organization that provides science-based environmental certification standards.

* The Newcastle Marriott and Manchester Marriott in the United Kingdom, the Sydney Marriott and Melbourne Marriott in Australia, and the Okinawa Marriott in Japan are certified by Green Globe, the premier international brand for sustainable travel.

* The Dearborn Inn, Detroit Marriott Troy and the Detroit Marriott Livonia in Michigan have been certified by Green Lodging Michigan.

* The Calgary Marriott Hotel in Canada earned a "4 Green Key" rating through the Hotel Association of Canada's (HAC) Green Key Eco-Rating Program.

* Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa in Australia was named a "Sustainable Hotel" at the Hotel Investment Conference.

Last year, Marriott announced its environmental strategy to address climate change, which it calls its "Spirit To Preserve." The plan calls for: Greening its $10 billion supply chain; further reducing fuel and water consumption by 25 percent per available room, and installing solar power at up to 40 hotels by 2017; creating green construction standards for hotel developers to achieve LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council; educating and inspiring employees and guests to support the environment; and helping protect the rainforest.

For updates on Marriott's progress against its green goals, visit www.marriott.com/spirittopreserve, follow Green Marriott on Twitter and become a fan of Travel Green on Facebook.

Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) for a company overview.

SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.

For More Information on Green Hotels, Go To Greenlodge.Org

Holiday Inn
San Antonio International Airport
Green Campaign

The Holiday Inn San Antonio International Airport launched an environmental “green” campaign nearly three years ago, posting results that have garnered National and International attention. We have been the feature Hotel on Green Lodging News, Eco Green Hotel, and The Hotel Guide. The Hotel’s results were the target of a case study produced by Caroma and marketed by Lighthouse Marketing, and now we are the Pilot Hotel for InterContinental Hotels Group Green Engage Program to be rolled out globally…join us on our green journey.

Recycling Program: In 2007 the Hotel started a recycling program by collecting paper and cardboard, producing 21 tons and donating $2000 in rebates to the Ronald McDonald House of San Antonio. In 2008 we transitioned to single stream recycling collecting 83.34 tons of material (170,000 pounds) that would have otherwise been sent to the landfill. Our recycling is a full single stream program allowing the Hotel to recycle paper, cardboard, plastics 1-7, glass, aluminum, and tin. Every department and guestroom throughout the Hotel has recycle containers. The Hotel staff spent an afternoon training with our recycling partner, Vista Fibers, learning about items in their departments that they touch every day that can be recycled instead of going to the trash.

Water Conservation: The Hotel won the San Antonio Water System Water Saver Award for 2008. We installed high efficiency dual flush toilets in every guestroom, low flow showerheads and water saving spigots in guestroom vanities. We ask guests to assist in water conservation by hanging towels that can be re-used and asking that bed linen be changed only every third day of their stay and daily service is available upon request. The Hotel captures condensation from rooftop air conditioning units by installing pumps into a water capture container and directing the water to flower beds. We also divert water from the pool during the cleaning process into hedges along the perimeter of the property, instead of sending it down the drain. In 2006 the Hotel was consuming 203 gallons of water per occupied room. This was reduced to 161 gallons in 2007, and by the end of 2008 we were only consuming 123 gallons per occupied room – totaling 7+ million gallons of water saved annually.

Energy Conservation: During the course of our renovation from June 2006 to June 2007, the Hotel replaced all incandescent light bulbs with energy saving compact florescent bulbs. Digital thermostats were installed in every guestroom with a 4 degree range allowed (72 degrees +/-). These can be reprogrammed by the Hotel for guests with special needs. Hotel storage rooms are equipped with motion sensors so lights cannot be left on by busy staff. Hotel boilers are programmed “in line” only utilizing the back up boiler when occupancies require the additional water. It is estimated by Burton Energy, that the Hotel will save 553k KWH annually with our energy conservation program.

What’s Next?: Although the Holiday Inn San Antonio Int’l Airport is a leader in the community for our “Green Campaign”, we are still finding new programs to make a positive impact on the environment. Here is a look at other initiatives that we are in the process of implementing:

• Planting an herb garden on the roof-top of our pool house. Any plants and produce that cannot be used by the Hotel kitchen, will be given to the employees. Seeds from the garden will be packaged and given to guests, encouraging them to “Stay Green”.

• The roof-top garden will be watered by capturing the condensation from two air conditioning units above the lobby of the Hotel. Any excess water will be diverted into the landscape.

• Investigating the option of sending all food waste to a composting site, and have already conducted our initial site visit with Texas Disposal Systems.

• Working with Trane to capture cooling tower condensation and redirect it to the Hotel chiller. This condensation could save the Hotel 500 gallons of water each week.

Holiday Inn San Antonio Int’l Airport – your only choice in San Antonio to “stay green”.

Hotel Direct: (210) 349-9900
Holiday Inn San Antonio International Airport

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Fairmont Hotels join Climate Program

The Fairmont hotel chain, which has 56 properties across the globe, announced this week it has joined the WWF Climate Savers program with an aim of cutting brandwide carbon emissions by 20% by 2013.

The Climate Savers program includes over 20 multi-national corporations, including IBM, Nike and Coca cola, all of whom are aiming to achieve a combined carbon emissions cut of 14 million tonnes every year. In order to reduce the environmental impact of the Fairmont Hotels, the chain has committed to updating hotel design standards to incorporate LEED standards, will be encouraging suppliers to provide green products and will be seeking a new LEED Gold standard home for its corporate offices in Canada.

Large hotel chains are often some of the worst culprits of greenwashing in the travel industry, but the Fairmont Hotel chain is one of the few brands that has made some real green efforts, and has been doing so for around 20 years; and although the chain doesn't have a stand out eco-friendly hotel yet, many of the brand's properties do feature some forward thinking green initiatives.

The Fairmont Southampton in Bermuda, for instance, features a rain and gray water recycling system and an on-site reverse osmosis plant, which helps to greatly reduce the hotel's water use. The Fairmont Sonoma in California features an on-site worn farm, which not only keeps food waste from the land fill, but also provides organic fertilizers for the hotel grounds; and the Fairmont St Andrews in Scotland converts its used cooking oil into biodiesel for the hotel shuttle bus and grounds vehicles.

Several other hotels take part in wildlife conservation efforts. In Hawaii the Fairmont Orchid helps fund marine reef research; in Boston staff at the Fairmont Copley Plaza have aided researchers with attaching transmitters to track snowy owls, and the Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu in Quebec launched a program to encourage guests to adopt a Beluga Whale.

The partnership with WWF is a welcome move, but as a luxury hotel chain, the Fairmont brand still has some way to go before they can truly reduce their environmental impact and claim to be a green hotel chain. However, the brand is setting the pace in terms of eco-friendly initiatives for other luxury hotel chains and will hopefully encourage other chains to improve their green efforts.

Fairmont Hotels and Resorts

World Wildlife Fund Climate Savers Program

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Element Hotel Debuts in Texas

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) announces the opening of Element Houston Vintage Park, the first Element hotel to open in Texas. Inspired by Westin™ Hotels & Resorts, Element invites guests to check-in to a new travel experience with comfortable public spaces, modern style and eco-friendly design. Owned by Condor Hospitality, LLC and managed by InterMountain Management, LLC of Louisiana, the newly constructed, 123-room hotel is a key part of the new Vintage Park lifestyle center located in bustling northwest Houston. The General Contractor for the Element is Benchmark Development Corporation of Dallas. This is the first of two Element projects between the ownership group, development team, and InterMountain Management. The Element Hotel in Lone Tree, Colorado will open in the summer of 2009.

Awaken to Smart Eco-chic Design
The Element brand’s unique design philosophy is evident the moment guests arrive. After passing through a signature portal that provides a literal bridge to the Element interior, guests will be greeted with streams of natural light from a multi-storied window wall. The vitality of the lobby will be matched by the energy of the hotel’s outdoor fire pit and barbecue, where a weekly evening reception allows guests to interact while enjoying a selection of savory food.

The smart design and clever use of space in the hotel’s guest rooms rejuvenates and energizes guests for work or play. Guests are able to customize their rooms to meet their needs with the multi-purpose, modular furniture, swiveling flat-screen televisions, large desks with open shelving and custom-designed closets. Rooms also offer a fully equipped kitchen that features modern, ENERGY STAR-rated appliances and all the utensils necessary to prepare a gourmet meal. Guests will rest soundly in the signature Heavenly® Bed, and wake up and recharge each morning in a sleek, spa-inspired Heavenly shower.

Great for the Earth, Great for Guests
Element Houston Vintage Park will be working towards LEED certification in its first year of operation, as part of the Element brand’s historic effort to require all its hotels to pursue this certification. The Element brand’s green features are cleverly designed to be as aesthetically appealing as they are eco-friendly, so guests never compromise on style and comfort. Element Hotels are equipped with energy-efficient, stainless steel appliances and lighting, amenity dispensers in the showers to reduce waste and water-efficient faucets and fixtures. Guests can continue daily routines such as recycling papers and plastics, as well as using green materials, while those driving hybrid cars are rewarded with priority parking. Even the ubiquitous “Do Not Disturb” sign has been replaced with an environmentally-friendly magnet.

Element Hotels

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Marriott's expanding green programs flourish

Last week, Marriott invited its hotel guests to "green" their hotel stays by buying carbon offsets to protect rainforests in the Juma reserve in the state of Amazonas in Brazil. Marriott, in cooperation with nonprofit Conservation international, had previously agreed to donate $2 million to rainforest preservation in Amazonas. Protecting rainforests, as you probably know, is an important way to mitigate the threat of climate change because tropical forests remove lots of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Marriott's initiative is noteworthy for several reasons. First, it's part of a broad green push by the company. Second, it's a great way to expose millions of people to the role of rainforests in preventing climate change. Third, the company says that its efforts will help attract so-called "green" meetings.

As part of its overall environmental commitment, called Spirit to Preserve, Marriott has agreed to reduce its fuel and water consumption by 25 percent per room over the next 10 years, install solar power in as many as 40 hotels by 2017 and expand reuse and recycling programs. They are also greening their supply chain by buying key cards made of 50 percent recycled plastic, replacing more than 100,000 pillows with new ones made from recycled bottles, eliminating cardboard from more than 2 million rolls of toilet paper a year, and buying Bic pens made with recycled material. The company is also ramping up its development of LEED-certified hotels.

The new "green your stay" program invites guests who book on www.marriott.com to offset the carbon generated during their stay for as little as US $10, or US $1 per day for 10 days. The cost to offset the carbon generated in a single night in a hotel is about $1, Matthews explains, but the $10 minimum contribution helps insure that the vast majority of the funds donated will go to rainforest preservation, rather than to administrative costs.

This program expands a relationship between Marriott and a nonprofit called the Amazonas Sustainable Foundation, which supports about 2,500 residents of the Juma area who help protect the forest from illegal logging and farming. Contributions help fund people and equipment to monitor the forest, as well as other community services, designed to provide an alternative livelihood for the Brazilian poor.

For More Information on Green Hotels, Go To Greenlodge.Org

Downtown Atlanta businesses launch Zero Waste Zone

Downtown Atlanta hotels and restaurants are going green.

The Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) and several downtown convention hotels and restaurants have partnered with the federal government and environmental groups to form the Southeast’s first Zero Waste Zone to reduce the flow of garbage into landfills.

The initiative was launched Tuesday during the 1,700-member Meeting Planners International convention.

GWCC -- the nation’s fourth-largest convention center -- Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and the Hyatt Regency Atlanta are among the downtown institutions that have pledged to up their recycling efforts, including sending used grease to local biofuel producers. Other downtown restaurants and hotels have promised to donate food to the Atlanta Community Food Bank or to send residuals to composting centers.

Levy Restaurants, the food contractor at the GWCC, has partnered with Washington, D.C.-based EnviRelations, LLC to compost food wastes, which will save 34 tons of organic materials each month from entering area landfills, according to a news release.

“We are amazed at the enthusiasm shown in support of the Zero Waste Zone,” Laura Turner Seydel, honorary chairwoman of the Zero Waste Zone-Downtown Atlanta, said in prepared remarks. “The composting program is incredibly innovative since there was not a permitted composting facility in Georgia until four months ago.”

According to the news release, Georgians send more than 17 million tons of garbage to landfills each year. The amount per person is double the national average.

The Green Foodservice Alliance and Atlanta Recycles started the initiative. The groups plan to expand the initiative throughout the downtown convention district, and ultimately to other areas of the city, such as Buckhead and Midtown.

“The companies participating in Atlanta’s downtown Zero Waste Zone, the first in the Southeast and one of just a handful across the nation, will recover materials that would ordinarily be sent to a landfill and instead put them to good use,” said Stan Meiburg, EPA Region 4 Acting Regional Administrator. “Eliminating waste is important and EPA applauds the Green Foodservice Alliance, the Georgia Restaurant Association and Atlanta Recycles for working with downtown businesses to rethink their foodservice operations with reuse and recycling in mind.

First Hyatt-brand LEED-built hotel opens in Michigan

Plans for the 5-story 113-room hotel started a couple of years ago. Built by Rockford Construction, it's a project with a $15M price tag.

The hotel is aimed at business travelers featuring pre-registration, self-serve automated kiosks for check-in and 24 hour food service. But, it also accommodates families, including those who need a place to stay that is close to Metro Health.

Some of the LEED-related features include: in-room motion sensors to control heat and lighting and the use of green cleaning compounds. According to Morgan Burkett, Vice-President of Oxford Development Co., "We're taking all of our leftover shampoo and soap products and we're recyling them onsite into a slurry that we then convert into basically a laundry detergent. So, all of our pool towels, all of our terry towels, kitchen towels will be washed with products from our guest rooms."

The Hyatt Place isn't the first local hotel built to meet LEED certification. The JW Marriott in downtown Grand Rapids and City Flats in Holland were also LEED projects. But the Hyatt Place is the world's first Hyatt-brand LEED-built hotel. The business helped to bring 30 new jobs to the area.

"We had 120 highly qualified applications and it took a lot of processing to get to the top 30," said Burkett. "But it is really a credit to this community. The quality and caliber of staff we were able to procure for this hotel is the best that I've ever seen. I've been in the business for 40 years."

For More Information on Green Hotels, Go To Greenlodge.Org

Chicago’s Talbot Hotel Receives Green Power Award

On the heels of it being awarded the Green Seal Certification, the Talbot Hotel has been named a member of the 2008 Green Power Leadership Club by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The 149-room hotel received this EPA award in recognition of its exemplary environmental leadership. The hotel is also being honored for its efforts to operate a 100% carbon neutral property through the purchasing of renewable wind energy credits that offset the hotel’s entire carbon footprint. The hotel not only met the minimum requirements for the EPA’s Green Power Partnership, but reached the 10-fold qualifications of the Green Power Leadership Club.

Talbot Hotel

EPA Green Power Award

For More Information on Green Hotels, Go To Greenlodge.Org

Missouri to offer Green Hotel Certification Program

The Missouri Hotel & Lodging Association (MHLA) and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR)have just initiated a new green certification program as of Jan. 1.

The program will award green certification to hotels and bed and breakfasts that reach a certain level of environmental sustainability. The DNR will use a point system to measure things such as a facility’s efforts to lower water usage or maximize energy efficiency.

Ramona Mormann, executive director of MHLA, said Certified Green participants could earn their points by changing lighting, implementing recycling or green education programs for employees, and even mulching their grounds with eco-friendly material.

There is no cost to participate in the Certified Green program other than the cost for facilities to upgrade to green materials. Promotion of the program will be left to the individual hotels that meet green requirements.

“Going green is so important to our guests and to corporate America,” Mormann said. “Major companies like Johnson & Johnson won’t even consider hotels that aren’t green. We have to go green to keep our guests coming.”

The DNR will provide the official recognition for any hotel that meets its green point requirements, and the MHLA will offer enhanced award packages to its members that pass the Certified Green program. Packages will include distinctive signage and Certified Green branding opportunities.

The Missouri Hotel & Lodging Association is based in Jefferson City and has between 80 and 90 members in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

Floyd Gilzow, deputy director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, said the first year would be used to gauge interest and participation in the Certified Green program.“I’d be willing to declare initial victory if 100 hotels joined,” Gilzow said. There are approximately 1,800 places of lodging in Missouri.



For More Information on Green Hotels, Go To Greenlodge.Org

Mass transit ridership increases despite cheaper gas

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) announced today that Americans continue to ride public transportation at record levels even though gas prices declined. More than 2.8 billion trips were taken on public transportation in the third quarter of 2008 -- an increase of 6.5 percent over the third quarter of 2007. This is the largest quarterly increase in public transportation ridership in 25 years. Meanwhile, vehicle miles of travel (VMT) on the nation’s highways declined in the same period by 4.6 percent according to the Federal Highway Administration.

Last year 10.3 billion trips were taken on U.S. public transportation – the highest number of trips taken in fifty years. In the first quarter of 2008, public transportation continued to climb and rose by 3.4 percent. In the second quarter of 2008, as gas prices rose to more than $4 for a gallon of gasoline, public transit ridership increased by 5.2 percent. The third quarter transit ridership increase of 6.5 percent continued the trend of more and more Americans turning to public transportation in record numbers.

Commuter rail ridership grew by 6.3 percent. The commuter rail systems with double digit ridership growth were located in the following areas: Albuquerque (35.8%); Pompano Beach, FL (32.9%); New Haven (32.2%); Portland, ME (29.6%); Oakland (26.1%); Stockton, CA (22.5%); Seattle (22.4%); Harrisburg/Philadelphia (21.7%); Dallas (18.8%); Los Angeles (17%); and San Carlos, CA (16.4%).

New LEED Rating System Approved

BOSTON—Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) 2009, the newest version of the U.S. Green Building Council's building certification program has passed a member ballot and will be rolled out next year.

The next generation of the LEED rating system for commercial buildings, LEED 2009 includes a series of major technical advancements focused on improving energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions and addressing other environmental and human health concerns. The new version of LEED, which is based on eight years of market and user feedback, also incorporates regional credits in the form of extra points that have been identified as priorities within a project's location. LEED 2009 also features re-weighted credits and an altered allocation of points to reflect climate change and energy efficiency.

USGBC

Carlson Hotels Launches Sustainability Program

(Carlson Hotels) - Entitled "Practical Guide to Greening Your Hotel," the green guide is part of Carlson Hotels’ global initiative to develop programs, policies and partnerships based on responsible business practices.

The new guide and strategy were announced at the American Hotel & Lodging Association Fall Conference taking place here this week. Carlson Hotel brands include Regent Hotels & Resorts, Radisson Hotels & Resorts, Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts’ Country Inns & Suites By Carlson and Park Inn.

"Carlson Hotels is focusing on specific issues such as reducing, recycling and reusing solid waste, reducing the use of harmful chemicals, conserving energy and water and improving indoor air quality that can have immediate impact on the environment and the communities where our hotels operate," said Carmen Baker, vice president of Responsible Business for Carlson Hotels Worldwide. "As we look at all facets of our operations, this educational tool provides the information our hotels need to enhance their efforts and employ additional actionable opportunities. These efforts serve to balance business goals with the impact the company makes on society and the natural environment," Baker added.

"Travelers increasingly recognize the value of patronizing environmentally friendly hotels and many are modifying their travel habits. According to a 2008 Deloitte survey, more than one-third of travelers are keenly concerned about ‘green’ travel. Carlson is committed to addressing this issue as a cornerstone of its responsible business practices."

Carlson Hotels recently conducted its own guest survey, which found:

* Overall, guests feel they are "very engaged" in environmental issues and 58 percent said they would be willing to book a hotel room that is environmentally friendly.
* Guests expressed a high degree of willingness to "do their part" at home and while on the road.
* Fifty-six percent said they actively seek environmentally friendly products and services with 52 percent saying they would participate in programs to help reduce or offset the hotel’s carbon emissions.
* When it comes to their willingness to change behavior, most guests seek choice - such as the choice to have their linen or towels changed or not changed.

In addition to its development of the green guide, Carlson Hotels is engaged in a pilot program of environmental audits and related research at selected hotel properties and corporate facilities. The audits provide a comprehensive baseline of a property’s efficiency, energy consumption and carbon footprint.

Property managers will next review potential improvement strategies, making a determination of return on investment (ROI) and the general feasibility of implementing the projects.

Carlson Hotels

About Carlson Hotels
Carlson Hotels Worldwide includes more than 995 locations in 74 countries. Specific brands include: Regent Hotels & Resorts; Radisson Hotels & Resorts; Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson; and Park Inn hotels. Carlson Hotels Worldwide is one of the major operating groups of Carlson, a global leader in providing corporate solutions and consumer services in the marketing, travel and hospitality industries.

AH&LA Proposes Guidelines for Green Hotels

New York, November 11, 2008 — The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) launched its green strategy at its board of directors meeting, Sunday, November 9. The strategy focuses largely on minimum environmental guidelines, which are culled from a total of 88 overall guidelines targeting effective energy, water and waste management. The guidelines will be continuously added and built upon, with the next set focusing on design and construction, materials and resources, chemicals and cleaning, and indoor air quality.

Each of the minimum guidelines includes case studies, business cases, and resources for general managers to implement. In addition, the AH&LA board of directors will discuss the program mechanics, including how to recognize hotels that successfully implement the minimum guidelines. The completed guidelines and supporting materials will be launched via the AH&LA Website by the end of December.

In addition to extensively surveying members, the association’s overall green strategy was crafted largely by the AH&LA Green Task Force, which convened in August and is comprised of the environmental point persons for a dozen of the hotel companies as well as AH&LA’s green consultant, Pat Maher, formerly of Marriott International. The group created an environmental policy statement, recommended AH&LA track state and national legislation, and advocated the need for supporting educational materials. The Task Force is an extension of the AH&LA Environmental & Engineering Council, which has made a green strategy for the lodging industry a priority over the past 13 months. In that time, nearly two dozen certification programs were researched in the hopes of partnering with a third-party to offer AH&LA members a certification program.

When no program was readily available or affordable, the Green Task Force recommended identifying the most important pillars – including energy, water, waste – and have hotels report on progress against the pillars in terms of benchmarks and baseline numbers. The guidelines were created based on the criteria of existing state and national certifications.

“We’ve exhaustively researched this important topic to determine the best way the association can assist our members who want to create an environmentally-friendly and sustainable hotel,” said AH&LA President/CEO Joseph McInerney, CHA. “With so many certifications already out there – many of which are through the property’s state and a necessity for government business – the biggest feedback we received was the need for guidance on how to green properties effectively in various areas. Not all hotels will be able to achieve these guidelines, but we want to make sure we set a bar and goals now so hoteliers receive direction for immediate action. These guidelines – which address back-of-the-house and interfacing with guests – will be continuously added to in our ongoing effort to provide green resources in a broad spectrum of areas.”

The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute has integrated environmental information into its popular housekeeping operations textbook and Certified Hotel Administrator certification. EI is also showcasing a new resource at the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show – High Performance Hospitality: Sustainable Hotel Case Studies – in both print and CD. Content is being updated to its front office, leadership and management, and resort development and management textbooks, in addition to the creation of other educational resources around the AH&LA environmental guidelines.

Other green environmental priorities of the association include working with the U.S. Green Building Council via a Hospitality Advisory Group to create a LEED lodging sector standard for new and existing construction. That standard is expected to be complete by June of 2009. And, AH&LA is working closely with two meeting planning organizations, including the Convention Industry Council, to create eco-savvy standards for green meetings that are ASTM-certified. The standards are set to be released in May of 2009.

AH&LA also served on the steering committee of the United Nations Foundations Partnership for Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria program, which is adopting universal sustainable tourism principles.

The association launched a Green Webpage in January, which serves as an online resource offering cost-effective and eco-savvy tips and strategies, information on certifications and government funded programs, suppliers producing environmentally-friendly products, as well as a RSS feed from Green Lodging News. In addition, a new component is coming later this week – Ask AH&LA’s Green Guru – through which Pat Maher will answer members’ questions to all things green.